Adjustable cap



Jan. 4, 1949. R. T. KRIEBEL 2,458,275

ADJUSTABLE CAP Filed Dec. 6, i946 B'Y' ole l iyEgToR Patented Jan. 4, 1949 ADJUSTABLE CAP Richard T. Kriebel, Belmont, Mass, assignor to Polaroid Corporation, Qambridge, Mass, a corporation of Delaware Application December 6, 1946, Serial No. 714,381

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to caps and more particularly to caps that are adjustable to fit diiierent head sizes.

An object of the invention is to provide a cap which may be readily adjusted to fit different head sizes; which can be easily and rapidly changed from one size to another; and which once adjusted to a head size will remain at that adjustment until changed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an adjustable cap which is neat and attractive in appearance and which is inexpensive and simplc to manufacture.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the product possessing the features, properties and the relation of components which are exemplified in the followin detailed disclosure, and the scope 'of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in com nection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure l is a side view of the adjustable cap of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a rear View of the adjustable cap; and

Fig. 3 is a side view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a side panel rolled back to disclose the details of the adjustable cap.

In the manufacture and sale of novelty headwear as, for example, caps adapted for wear while engaging in sports, the necessity for the cap manufacturer to make and the dealers to stock a multiplicity of different cap sizes contributes greatly to the manufacturing and distribution costs of the manufacturer and makes it necessary that dealers must carry a large inventory. The present invention overcomes the above-mentioned difiiculties by providing a cap which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and which is adjustable from the smallest to the largest sizes customarily made.

The cap of the present invention comprises a head-covering portion, the circumference of which can be increased or decreased and which is provided with means to hold excess material, released when the circumference is decreased, snugly against the outside of said head-covering portion.

A specific example of a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing wherein numeral Hi generally indicates the adjustable head-covering portion of a cap preferably made of a woven fabric but which can be made from any other suitable material as, for example, felt or leather. The numeral l2 designates a flexible bill or peak of any suitable shape attached thereto, The adjustable head-covering portion Ill is comprised of a front and top panel i l having attached thereto two side panelsl6 and I3, and a rear panel '20. The front and top panel l4 and the rear panel 20 may each be formed from a single piece of material or they may be fabricated from two or more pieces. In the specific example illustrated both of these panels are formed from two pieces of material stitched together to give them a generally headconforming configuration. The two side menbers IE and i3 are attached along their upper edges to the two side edges of the front and top panel M by any conventional method as, for example, stitching or adhesive, to form the front, top and two sides of the head-covering portion it. The back of said head-covering portion is formed by the rear panel 28 which is attached to the back edge of the top panel in the same manner as the side panels [6 and 18. The lengths of the upper edges of the side panels l5 and i8 and the rear panel 20 are such that when said edges are attached to the front and top panel the adjacent ends thereof will come together, or the ends of said side panel edges will overlapsaid rear panel edge a slight amount, preferably not over one eighth of aninch. The rear edges 22 and '24 of the side panels l6 and I8 slope-downwardly and toward the rear of the head-covering portion from the end of the upper edge thereof to form an obtuse angle therewith. The lower edge of each of said side panels l6 and I8 curves upwardly at the rear end thereof. This curvature is in the form of the arc of a circle and starts at a point on each lower edge which is substantially perpendicularly beneath the rear end of the upper edge and continues from said point to the rear edge of the panel. The are of the circle has a radius substantially equal to the distance between the rear end of the upper edge and the point beneath it on the lower edge.

A plurality of evenly spaced female snap members 26 are carried by each side panel adjacent the lower edge and at the rear end thereof. The centers of said snap portions 26 are located on an are having its center of curvature substantially coinciding with the center of curvature of the bottom edge. The snap members 26 may be attached directly to the material of each side panel or directly to a sweatband but preferably they will be attached to a strip of tape or leather 28 which is attached to the inner side of the side panels and the snaps and tape covered by a sweatband 30 attached to the bottom edge of the panels in a conventional manner. When the lastmentioned embodiment is employed a plurality of holes 32 are provided in the sweatband and each hole aligned with the opening in each snap 26. Another manner in which the snaps 26 may be mounted on the side panels 16 and I8 is to attach the snap-carrying tape 28 to the back side of the sweatband 30. A single male snap portion 34 is attached to each end of the back panel 20 adjacent the lower edge thereof. It will thus be seen that the head-covering portion 10 can be adjusted to fit difierent head sizes by engaging the snap members 34 in difierent combinations of the snap portions 26. Whereas snap fastening means have been disclosed in the preferred embodiment it will be apparent that other fastening means can be employed, as for example, buttons and button holes.

A tape 36 of substantially the same length as the rear panel 20 is attached at each end to opposite ends of said rear panel adjacent the lower edge thereof; Said tape 36 is also attached to the center of the rear panel adjacent said lower edge. The rear edges 22 and '24 of each of the side panels l6 and 18 are slidably attached to the tape 36 by means of loops 38 carried by said rear edges and passing around said tape. The loop 38 and tape 36 cooperate to hold the rear edge of each side panel snugly against the rear panel to prevent said back edge from hanging loosely regardless of the adjustment of the cap.

Since certain changes may be made in the above product without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable cap comprising, in combination, a front and top panel, two side panels having their top edges attached to opposed side edges of said front and top panel, a rear panel having its top edge attached to the rear edge of said front and top panel, the rear edge of each of said side panels overlapping the adjacent side edge of said rear panel, a plurality of connecting means carried by the lower edge of each of said side panels, complementary connecting means carried by the lower edge of said rear panel, and means carried by said rear panel and slidably engaged by the rear edges of said side panels, said means comprising a tape fastened at spaced points to said rear panel.

2. An adjustable cap comprising, in combination, a front and top panel, two side panels having their top edges attached to opposed side edges of said front and top panel, a rear panel having its top edge attached to the rear edge of said front and top panel, the rear edge of each of said side panels overlapping the adjacent side edge of said rear panel, a plurality of connecting means carried by the lower edge of each of said side panels, complementary connecting means carried by the lower edge of said rear panel, and means carried by said rear panel and slidably engaged by the rear edges of said side panels, said means comprising a tape coextensive with the outer side of said rear panel and having its ends attached to each end thereof.

3. An adjustable cap comprising, in combination, a front and top panel, a pair of side panels and a rear panel attached to said front and top panel to form a head covering member, the rear edge of each of said side panels forming an obtuse angle with the top edge thereof so that said rear edges slope downwardly and to the rear of said head-covering portion to overlap the ends of said rear panel, the lower edge of each of said side panels, between a point substantially perpendicular to the rear end of the top edge thereof and the rear edge thereof, forming the arc of a circle having its center substantially on the end of said upper edge, a plurality of fastening means carried by the lower edge of each side panel, the centers of said fastening means being located substantially on the arc of a circle having its center substantially on the end of said upper edge, fastening means carried by the lower edge of said rear panel and adapted to selectively engage said first-mentioned fastening means to adjust said head-covering member to different head sizes, and a tape having its ends attached to the ends of said rear panel and the portion intermediate said ends slidably engaged by the ends of said side panels.

RICHARD T. KRIEBEL.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Murnan May 21, 1929 Number 

